Changes
by B. D. Legan
Summary: Thalia visits camp after five years and discovers many changes... including Nico. Thalico


**Hey everyone! This is just a little oneshot I wanted to do involving Thalia and Nico. Enjoy! :)**

The sun was just beginning to rise above the treetops, a few rays peeking out from behind. I sighed. It was going to be another one of _those_ days. If I'd have known it was going to be this boring, maybe I wouldn't have joined the hunters… There's so many rules… daily chores, shared tents (with a rather annoying roommate), and NO BOYS! What's a girl to do? It's not like I could simply forget about them, they're everywhere. And I couldn't ignore them… But I couldn't look at them either, at least not for extended amounts of time…

_This is SO frustrating! _I thought to myself. I sighed again, stood up, and walked away from the stump I had just occupied, straight to the mess "hall" where breakfast was served.

I ate the same breakfast I always ate at the same table I always sat at with the same people I always ate with. Yes, another ordinary day…

Just as I was getting up to dispose of my tray, the hunting horn sounded, three blows. _An attack! _

All the girls rushed out, their weapons drawn, waiting for orders. I had to push through the crowd that was now gathering, since I, being second in command, had to know what was happening.

Once I made my way through the crowd, I saw a young girl, of about twelve years, with olive colored skin and caramel hair arguing with a tall, rather handsome (correction, NOT HANDSOME) man with blonde hair. Artemis and Apollo.

As I stepped away from the crowd and nearer to the arguing siblings, I said, "My lady, why did you sound the alarm? No one is attacking us."

Artemis and Apollo snapped their heads in my direction. "Ah, Thalia. Getting' prettier everyday, aren't you?" Apollo winked at me. Don't get me wrong, I was flattered, but I couldn't show it.

"Artemis?" I tried to say in a non-affected voice. Inside butterflies were taking over my stomach. I could feel blood rushing to my cheeks.

"I thought we were being attacked," Artemis spat at her brother.

"Why? I didn't do anything!" Apollo argued.

"You zapped into the boundaries of camp. Anyone, _uninvited," _Artemis accentuated the word, "is considered a threat, and thus the alarm was sounded."

"I don't have to be invited to visit my sister, do I?" Apollo said. "And besides, you're a wanted woman."

"By whom?" Artemis asked coldly.

"Father, none-the-less," Apollo said.

"Why?" Artemis asked, worried. "Is something the matter?"

"Uh, it's probably not wise to discuss this in front of," Apollo motioned his head to the large group of hunters.

With out even glancing towards us, Artemis waved her hand, to shoo us away. I began to follow the crowd back to the mess hall when Artemis said, "Not so fast, Thalia."

I smiled and turned back to where they were standing, but they were no longer there. I looked around to see where they had run off to so quick, but couldn't see them.

Suddenly, I felt as though my insides were being pushed out, and I was being stretched and compacted. As soon as it was over, it stopped and I landed with a _thump! _on the ground.

Immediately, I jumped into a low crouch, bow in my hand, as Artemis had taught me. I surveyed my surrounding. Animal skin tent, various "spoils of war" hung on the walls… I was in Lady Artemis' tent.

"At ease, Thalia," Artemis' piercing voice commanded.

I slowly lowered my bow and it disappeared from my hand. I jumped and then giggled nervously. Five years, and I still wasn't used to that.

"The girl is nervous

Being in a room with gods

Because I am cool."

"Oh brother," Artemis mumbled.

"What?" Apollo asked.

"It's an expression!" she slapped Apollo on the head.

"Umm… is there something you-" I began to say.

"Thalia, you and the hunters are going to have to stay at Camp Half-Blood while I'm gone." I tried to hide my smile. "I know you all hate that place, but I have business that I must attend to. My brother will drive you to camp. I have to go. In fact, I should already be there."

And with that, she poofed.

Apollo grinned. "Shall we, madam?"

I contained my smile and walked out of the tent.

I looked down at my new bracelet. One of the hunters suggested that we get something that allowed us all the communicate with each other without having to Iris-Message each other. I rubbed the silvery stone; it began to glow.

The automated voice said, "Speak in a clear voice." Then it beeped, signaling for me to begin talking.

"Attention hunters," I said. "Begin packing up the camp. We're going to Camp Half-Blood. That will be all."

I heard a loud mummer of, "Oh no's" and "Why's?". Oh how they detested that place. I, on the other hand, loved it. It gave me a chance to catch up with all my friends.

In a matter of minutes, we were all packed up and crammed into Apollo's sun chariot (a bus now).

The ride was short, which I was thankful for, considering my fear of heights. I sat in the seat behind Apollo (as per suggestion by him) and kept my eyes closed the whole time.

Apollo dropped us off at the pine tree which was once my home. I stayed away from it, almost as if I feared I would become trapped inside it again if I got too close.

A small boy was feeding the dragon that now guarded the tree. When he looked up, his eyes got real wide and he ran straight to the big house.

"Come on, girls. To Artemis' cabin we go!" I shouted and started marching to cabin, my hunters in tow.

As we walked past all the new cabins, I began to feel overwhelmed. It was like a maze in here…

"Thalia!" a familiar voice shouted.

A tall, blonde headed woman came running towards me. She gave me a big hug. "Wow, it's like a time machine!"

I blushed. I still looked appeared as my fifteen year old self, while Annabeth had taken on a more womanly figure.

It was weird, seeing the girl who I had once protected, older than me. At one time, I was five years older than her! I think Annabeth felt it too.

"Well, umm… let me take to the Artemis cabin. It's a bit confusing here, right now. I'm working on maps to put up every little bit so it's easier to navigate, but it's hard, you know."

I smiled. Annabeth was still herself, immersed in her work.

Annabeth took us to the cabin and muttered an excuse to leave. _Probably going to see Percy…_ I thought bitterly. Percy's a great guy, don't get me wrong. It's just so lonely not having anyone like that… Artemis said the feelings for companionship like that go away in time…

I sat there on one of the bunks for a long time, thinking about the past, when things were simply… simple. So much had changed…

"Thalia," someone shook my shoulder. "I said, are you coming for lunch?"

I snapped out of my daydream. "Uh, no… I'm not hungry…"

"Are you okay?" the girl asked. "You've been sitting there for hours, not even moving. Kind of like a tre-" She stopped in mid sentence. So she had heard the story about me, too. Eh… it's for the better.

She walked away, following the rest of the hunters to get some lunch.

I stood up and stretched my legs. I decided to take a walk, to look at everything that had changed in my absence. First, I changed into some of my old clothes, a black Pink Floyd tee shirt, some ripped skinny jeans, and my biker boots. That's what Annabeth used to call them…

I soon got lost in the tangle of cabins and found myself in front of an awesome looking cabin. It's walls seemed to be made of pure darkness, and skull-like candles decorated the windows. It looked scary, and I liked it.

Unaware of my actions, I walked up to the door and reached for the door knob. Just as I did that, it opened and I was face-to-face with a very pale boy with dark, emo styled hair.

We both opened our mouths and started to say something, and blushed.

"Thalia?" he finally asked.

"Nico? Man, you look…" I stopped myself. Can't say that…

"Do you, uh… wanna come in?" he asked shyly. "To look around."

I blushed again. Whoa! Why am I blushing so much. This is so un-Thalia like. I nodded my head vigorously.

He did this cute little crooked smile that made my heart skip a beat.

Nico opened the door to let me in.

"Say Nico, how old are you now?" I asked as I started to edge by him to get into the cabin.

"I'm about to turn sixteen in a few weeks," he told me.

I was directly in front of him, our eyes level. I smiled. What Artemis didn't know couldn't hurt her!

**Well, what'd ya think? I know, they were all pretty OOC, but that's what you get with most oneshots... Eh... review, please! And Happy Independence Day! (for all whom that applies to)**


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